The End Zone (Atlanta Lightning 2)

“Is there anything I can do? You could stay out here for a while.”

“I need to get back to work.” But did I really? “I’m not sure on the California branch. I just…” Who knew where the fuck my life was even going?

“No worries. Honestly, I’ve been wondering about it even before Bobby moved to London. I kept going back and forth on whether it was a good idea, but then you invested money into Atlanta with me. Your name is on those contracts too, and I didn’t want to make a decision without you. We’ll figure it out.”

I’d mostly gone in on this with him because West was my friend and I wanted to be involved. I liked the idea of putting more good into the world and helping people. Plus, I had money to burn, so why not? There was also a part of me that just wanted to feel like I had something. Maybe part of me wanted to feel like West needed me, like someone did.

Fuck, I was morose all of a sudden.

“I need to get to the airport,” I told him.

West nodded, stood, walked over, and we hugged. “I love you, man.”

“Love you too,” I replied, then, “God, falling in love with Anson turned you mushy.”

“I have my moments.” He laughed, and we pulled away. “But I’ll deny them if you ever tell anyone. My emotions are on my timetable and no one else’s.”

Typical West.

My melancholy mood lingered on the way to the airport, through security and waiting for my flight. I was sitting in my first-class seat, waiting for everyone to board, when my phone buzzed with a text.

Troublemaker: Did you get a lecture too?

Me: I started to, but then I told him about my divorce and he forgot.

Troublemaker: You cheater!!!

Me: Hey, I just got divorced. Have some sympathy.

Troublemaker: I don’t sympathize with cheaters.

Me: You’re just jealous I had an excuse and you didn’t.

Troublemaker: The lie detector test determined that is…the truth!

The flight attendant began speaking about putting devices into airplane mode for takeoff.

Me: Gotta go. Flight is about to leave. Thanks…for the distractions. It means a lot.

Troublemaker: What are friends for?

I put my phone in flight mode. It had to be a full minute later when I realized I was still smiling.

Chapter Four

Darren

July

My body didn’t rebound as quickly as it used to. Training camp was always brutal, but the more years I spent in the league, the more I could tell it wore on me. Not that I would ever voice those concerns out loud, even though we were all dealing with them. It was a truth of football. It was hard on our bodies, on our heads. I’d had broken bones, a few concussions, and other random injuries. I also had what I assumed was arthritis in my knees, something no one but Anson knew about. I secretly iced my knees to help with it. While I was in incredible shape, that didn’t change what I endured.

I got out of the shower, dried off, pulled on boxer briefs, and fell onto the bed. Anson had taken one first, and he was already lying down on the other mattress, typing on his phone.

“Texting your husband?”

“Yeah. He went with Philip to take some tests today. He’s starting college in the fall.” Philip was one of the first people to stay at You Belong. From what Anson said, Philip, worshipped West. He saw him like a father figure and wanted to be just like him.

“That’s awesome.” There wasn’t anything West wouldn’t do for the people who came through his center. I envied him that. I had my family, loved football, sex, cars, and lived a great life, but I didn’t have that extra something I was passionate about on that level.

“I’m fucking beat, man.” Anson set his phone down and rolled onto his side to face me. “Can I tell you something?”

“I don’t know, can you?”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re a dork. Seriously, though…I don’t know for sure, so really, don’t fucking tell your sister, but I’m thinking…after this contract is fulfilled, this might be it for me.”

The way he laughed, I figured my eyeballs had shot out of my head. Anson lived and breathed football. He always had. I loved it, yeah, but it was different for me. I might not have something I loved the way West loved the center, but I knew who I was outside of football. Before West, Anson hadn’t thought he had anything besides the game.

Are you sure you do?

“I just…God, I love this game. I will always love this game, but I spent most of my life hiding behind it. I used it as an excuse not to come out. I didn’t know who I was outside of playing, and while it’s scary as fuck because I’m young, and I haven’t made a decision for sure, I might be done soon.”